Democrats to hold largely virtual convention to nominate Joe Biden as their presidential candidate as novel coronavirus cases spike in several states nationwide https://t.co/t67br4OIxA by @jamesoliphant pic.twitter.com/ggcXSCfiT3
— Reuters (@Reuters) June 25, 2020
From the AP:
… Joe Biden plans to accept the presidential nomination in person, but it remains to be seen whether there will be a significant in-person audience there to see it. The Democratic National Committee said in a statement that official business, including the votes to nominate Biden and his yet-to-be-named running mate, will take place virtually, with delegates being asked not to travel to Milwaukee.
It’s the latest sign of how much the COVID-19 pandemic has upended American life and the 2020 presidential election, leading Biden and the party to abandon the usual trappings of an event that draws tens of thousands of people to the host city to mark the start of the general election campaign. Not even during the Civil War or World War II did the two major parties abandon in-person conventions with crowded arenas…
Of course, they didn’t have streaming technology during World War II, either. Yay the World Wide Web!
… Party Chairman Tom Perez said scaling back Democrats’ festivities is a matter of public health. He sought to draw a contrast with Trump’s push for a traditional convention in North Carolina, clashing with the state’s Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, and public health officials over the details amid the pandemic.
The Republican National Committee has confirmed its official business will be conducted in Charlotte. But Trump has said he plans to accept his nomination in Jacksonville, Florida, because Cooper wouldn’t guarantee Republicans the ability to host a large-scale event in Charlotte’s NBA arena.
“Unlike this president, Joe Biden and Democrats are committed to protecting the health and safety of the American people,” Perez said…
Speaking of the Squatter-in-Chief…
Breaking via WaPo: Dozens of Secret Service officers and agents on site for Trump's Tulsa rally have been ordered to self-quarantine after two of their colleagues tested positive for coronavirus?—part of the fallout from Trump's insistence on the event. https://t.co/m1lMO93XLB
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 24, 2020
Worth reading the whole thing, if you’ve got the stamina this early… but I won’t burden those of you who need a gentler introduction to their day.